Transfer calls are in and.....okay, titles kind of ruin
surprises but I am here for at least one more transfer! Yay! I am so excited
because I really love it here in 천안 and Elder Hollingsworth and I are really
going to have some amazing success in the next few weeks, I believe. The future
is as bright as my hope and I am a pretty hopeful, hard-to-keep-me-down kind of
person so it's looking really bright. The weird news is that this is my last
week as a "greenie" ..."greeny"....I think I like
"ie" better but I don't know who the authority is on mission slang.
It feels weird, any yet at the same time not because I haven't really felt like
a "greenie" that much. I feel like a missionary who is working to
speak to people better. Elder Hollingsworth is always great and I think that
having to be a senior comp for three of the transfer's six weeks has really
helped. But anyway...on to the goods.
My caption for the picture is "The most unconventional
service project ever" The most scared I've ever been in my life is
probably when I was being attacked by six and seven year old Korean kiddies in
a dark piano classroom. Halloween has mixed feelings for me. But the party we
hosted at the church was a raving success! Sweetness. The work is true. and Halloween is less true, but can be used for righteous purposes...anyway, I
digress.
2.0
This week has been great for personal studies. I love that
if I put in proper preparation and follow the spirit, I can have my own sacred
grove experiences each day. My little nook in the corner of our room can become
my very own sacred grove if I treat as such and expect to get
"wisdom" every time I ask. Neat-o!
For today's info I draw upon the words of my good friend
Alma. The younger one (technically he is older at this point but you get it..
:) Alma 7: 22-23 Here he is talking to the righteous folks form the city of
Gideon. Read the verses then my expansion makes more sense.....He exhorts the
people of Gideon and me and you to remember our duty (though I'll probably use
first person narrating from here on out) and to walk after the holy order of
God. He lists what I must to be a
"Priesthood man" as President Eyring said in the April 2014
Conference: humble, submissive, and gentle, easy to be entreated. These are all
similar and mean that I need to be a humble and easily approachable person. I
should often seek counsel and be a very open, hear-people-out kind of person. I
need to be approachable (I wrote it twice because I think it is important. #biblespeech)
I must be full of patience and long suffering- I cant get
easily upset or frustrated with the situation, with others, or with myself. Be
a Job-like character. Don't be easily ruffled, but be a peace maker and
patient.
I must be temperate in all things. I musn't be a fanatic in
anything except for my personal devotion to God. Don't do or say anything to
the extreme. I think I ought to be more of a Ben Franklin--rarely ever speak
with people in ABSOLUTES or definites.
Of course there are definite rights and wrongs out there and they must be
valiantly defended, but I can be tactful and peaceful and avoid contention and
extremes while still standing or truth. Think of Elder Oak's most recentConference address for reference.
I need to be diligent in keeping the commandments of God at
all times and all places. I need to keep and want to keep all of Father's
commandments because happiness will come in doing what He asks. I mean, He is
God. He knows all things from the beginning to the end and He created the Plan
of Happiness so we could be HAPPY. It's not the plan of merely being mediocrely
glad or whatever, but God intends us to have eternal life! We are to have joy
if we do what he asks. Let us all do our duty. Be Obedient! Remember that this
life in not meant to be endured but to be enjoyed. God is good and if we follow
him we will be happy forever. And now too.... I promise.
In all things let us go Onward and Upward!
Till next time,
Elder Tucker
